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Teyana Taylor

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This is an amazingly complete release that somehow doesn’t quite gel together as smoothly as it feels it should. T.I. explores a lot of different things in this album, from how he cultivated the trap sub-genre to how his mistakes have led to a lot of problems in his personal life, that together create a complete picture of the man we know.

The production is great and does compliment the message on each song. Individually, the beats all work, but when you put them together as a full album listen to, they can come across as a bit choppy and it can make listening through the whole thing a small challenge. On the other hand, a lot of listeners will simply pick out their favorites, as is the current trend, so this is not a huge disadvantage.

The lyricism is good, with a lot of uptempo rhyming to help keep energy levels up. However, when on an emotional track, T.I. bears his soul to show his side of the story and show that he knows he is a human being and that he makes mistakes. However you slice it, his performance here is phenomenal.

The features do a great job of accentuating the song they are on as well as showing their own talent. There is a real combination of tough street efforts on top of softer singers to add an extra dimension to the project. The guest selection is excellent and are only additions to this album.

Overall, this is a strong album with a lot of strong performances. T.I. continues to be a staple in hip hop and will continue to be, while hopefully having less drama.

This release shows that both artists and lyrically talented, but the theme of the album is never truly explored. Both artists have come a long way from their roots, but show they have never forgotten where they came from and how they have grown.

The production is great with the help of some of the friends they have picked up on the way. Every beat works very well to create the atmosphere needed to enhance the message of the songs. With the variation of messages possibly throwing off the cohesiveness of this project overall, the backings really help with the songs individually.

The lyricism is obviously incredible. Both Fabolous and Jadakiss are known for their wordplay and flow, and they both exploit those facts to cement their work here. However the title of this album does not carry throughout the project and detracts from what listeners think the album is about.

The features help throw something different in the mix but it does not always feel natural. While some are amazing and really click together, a few sound like they don’t really have the same level of chemistry. On the other hand, on a full listen through, the album plays great with the fresh voices.

Overall, this is a great release, even if it is not exactly what it is described to be. Fabolous and Jadakiss might not be so well known to the newer generation, but their skills are sharp as ever.

This release is another showing of force from Meek Mill, with a renewed vigour for success. After a turbulent time, he has shown how he can pull it together to make good music.

The production is energetic and helps keep the pace as the project plays. Each song with similar atmospheres all have a lot of the same elements, but are varied enough that they don’t get confused for each other. Maybe something with more of an easy listening feel would help include another audience, but would not fit with Meek Mill’s delivery.

The lyricism is strong with plenty of wordplay and clever punchlines. With some poignant messages in the mix here, the impact is huge with the delivery and performance aspects boosting them. a softer delivery might show that Meek is expanding his repertoire, but having already added a lot to his arsenal here, it is not a big miss.

The features are great and help with the cohesiveness of this album. Each makes a great effort and shows their own skills, which always fit with the song they are on. A guest from further afield than the rap game would help make some more interesting moments, but this is a small price for the results displayed on this project.

Overall, this is an enjoyable album with some great moments and little filler. Meek Mill can hopefully take this and have a more stable year to come.